The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 13, 2003
Filed:
May. 09, 2000
Eric B. Grann, San Ramon, CA (US);
Yung-Chieh Hsieh, San Jose, CA (US);
Blaze Network Products, Inc., Pleasanton, CA (US);
Abstract
A cost-effective wavelength division multiplexer and demultiplexer for use in optical communication consists of three modules, including a fiber array, a lens array and a filter array/reflector. Each array is made in wafer level with very precise position control and is bonded to an adjacent wafer by conventional wafer bonding techniques. In addition to eliminating the need for active alignment in the manufacturing process of a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) transceiver, the invention reduces the footprint of such a device to the order of a few millimeters and the process is suitable for low-cost, large quantity manufacturing. The fiber array is connected to the light sources, which optimally are fiber pig-tailed semiconductor lasers to enable repeatable and accurate placement in reference to the lens array. The input lenses are used to collimate the beams such that light traveling from them at an angle will zigzag between the reflector and the bandpass filters of the filter array/reflector combination. In the multiplexer configuration, an output lens is used to focus and couple the beams from each different laser into a fiber.